Advances in the field of genomics are leading to the discovery of new and valuable information regarding genetic processes and relationships. This newly illuminated genetic information is revolutionizing the way medical therapies are advanced, tested, and delivered. As more information is gathered, genetic analysis has the potential to play an integral and central role in developing and delivering medical advancements that will significantly enhance the quality of life.
With the increasing importance and reliance on genetic information, the accurate and reliable collection and processing of genetic data is critical. However, conventional known systems for collecting and processing genetic or DNA data are inadequate to support the informational needs of the genomics community. For example, known DNA collection systems often require substantial human intervention, which undesirably risks inaccuracies associated with human intervention. Further, the slow pace of such a manual task severely limits the quantity of data that can be collected in a given period of time, which slows needed medical advancements and adds substantially to the cost of data collection.
In a particularly exciting area of genomics, the identification and classification of minute variations in human DNA has been linked with fundamental treatment or medical advice for a specific individual. For example, the variations are a strong indication of predisposition for a particular disease, drug tolerance, and drug efficiency. The most promising of these minute variations are commonly referred to as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), which relate to a single base-pair change between a first subject and a second subject. By accurately and fully identifying such SNPs, a health care provider would have a powerful indication of a person's likelihood of succumbing to a particular disease, which drugs will be most effective for that person, and what drug treatment plan will be most beneficial. Armed with such knowledge, the health care provider can assist a person in lowering other risk factors for high-susceptibility diseases. Further, the health care provider can confidently select appropriate drug therapies, a process which is now an iterative, hit or miss process where different drugs and treatment schedules are tried until an effective one is found. Not only is this a waste of limited medical resources, but the time lost in finding an effective therapy can have serious medical consequences for the patient.
In order to fully benefit from the use of SNP data, vast quantities of DNA data must be collected, compared, and analyzed. For example, collecting and identifying the SNP profile for a single human subject requires the collection, identification, and classification of thousands, even tens of thousands of DNA samples. Further, the analysis of the resulting DNA data must be carried out with precision. In making a genetic call, where a composition of a biological sample is identified, any error in the call may result in detrimentally affecting the medical advice or treatment given to a patient.
Conventional, known systems and processes for collecting and analyzing DNA data are inadequate to timely and efficiently implement a widespread medical program benefiting from SNP information. For example, many known DNA analysis techniques require the use of an operator or technician to monitor and review the DNA data. An operator, even with sufficient training and substantial experience, is still likely to occasionally make a classification error. For example, the operator may incorrectly identify a base-pair, leading to that patient receiving faulty SNP profile. Alternatively, the operator may view the data and decide that the data do not clearly identify any particular base pair. Although such a “no call” may be warranted, it is likely that the operator will make “no-call” decisions when the data actually support a valid call. In such a manner, the opportunity to more fully profile the patient is lost.
Therefore, there exists a need for a system and process to efficiently and accurately collect and analyze data, such as DNA data.